


Five Callings

by scherryzade



Series: Newcomers [9]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-28
Updated: 2011-01-28
Packaged: 2017-10-15 05:20:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/157441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scherryzade/pseuds/scherryzade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bad decisions. Close calls. Unknown enemies. Uncertain friends. Welcome to Pegasus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Medic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to my LJ account on [January 21st, 2010](http://scherryzade.livejournal.com/11663.html)
> 
> (The Lorne/Parrish is largely subtext ;)

She's used to the alarms by now. There's barely a day goes by without a klaxon sounding, whether it's their alarms or the city's. She steps to the side of the corridor as soldiers start to stream towards the gate room.

She's surprised when Captain Rodriguez grabs her arm and pulls her along towards the puddlejumper bay.

"What -" starts Janel.

"We need a medic."

Maybe she's not as familiar with the alarms as she thought. She hadn't realised there was a problem within the city. She follows willingly, stopping only to grab one of the medical kits they keep at the entrance to the jumper bay.

Then she realises that there are no wounded in the bay. Realises where the captain is taking her.

Janel stops dead in her tracks. "I can't."

The captain whirls on her, face grim. "We need a medic, _now_. We need to leave, _now_." She pulls Janel up into the jumper,

"I -"

"Don't want to hear it." The captain pushes her down onto the bench along the inside of the jumper. "Sit down, shut your eyes, take deep breaths or whatever the hell. We're going."

Janel stares at Captain Rodriguez as she presses past the half dozen soldiers in the rear of the jumper. She sees the captain's teammates Wright and Collins, but not their scientist. As the captain sits, Janel closes her eyes.

"This is Jumper Nine," she hears the captain say. "We're ready. Clear the gate room."

~

As the jumper drops into the gate room, Mark moves back 'til he's standing beside the medic. He's about to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder when her eyes snap open, and she glares at him.

He raises his hands placatingly instead. "We needed a medic."

She's about to snap a reply when the jumper starts through the wormhole, and she freezes, gripping her seat.

As he enters the wormhole, he's thinking that this is probably the dumbest thing he's ever seen the captain do.

On the other side, Janel gasps for breath.

"Son of a -" She stops again, and grabs at her kit. "Daughter of a _wraith_ ," she spits at the captain's back.

"Save it," says Rodriguez, and rattles off her orders to the Marines. "Collins, stay with her."

"Yessir." Janel turns her glare from the captain back to Mark, and he shrugs, before offering her a sidearm. She just grips the med kit tighter.

~

When they land, the captain doesn't even look at her as she pushes past to lead her men out of the jumper. Janel settles for scowling at Rodriguez' back and muttering curses under her breath.

It gives her something to focus on.

"I don't even know how many wounded there are," she snaps.

"Major Lorne was shot." says Collins at her side. "They were ambushed, fell back to a secure position. We haven't heard anything else."

She nods in reply, even though he's looking at the forest around them, not at her. His face is as grim and focused, now, as the captain's.

They move fast, and she stumbles a little over the unfamiliar ground. Collins hooks his arm under hers to keep her upright, but doesn't let her slow.

Before she can muster the sense to pull away from him, they reach the Major's team. She barely hears the captain's orders to her men, seeing only the injured man, but she hears the ragged 'Oh, Christ,' Rodriguez says when she joins Janel at the Major's side.

He's been shot in the chest, and Janel can see blood still flowing, despite the field dressing his teammate has pressed to the wound.

She drops down beside them, and eases the man's hand from the bandage. She can feel the tremors running through him. "How long?"

"A - an hour," he replies, as Janel rips open the med kit. "He - I - I don't know what happened. There wasn't supposed to be anyone here. Anna -"

"It's okay, David. He's gonna be fine," The softness of the captain's tone takes Janel aback. "We'll be out of here in no time. Wright!" Rodriguez calls out abruptly. "Get Dr Parrish back to the jumper, get it ready to fly -"

"Yessir."

"I can't -" says Dr Parrish, his hand grasping helplessly at the Major's shoulder.

"We will be right behind you, David, okay? Look at me -" Rodriguez pulls him upright. "He'll be fine, and you know he'd tell you to get to safety."

"I -"

"Go," says the Major, hoarsely. Janel curses their too-careful medication, because he shouldn't be awake through this, but it makes the scientist nod and follow Wright.

Rodriguez hunkers down next to them once more. "I wasn't lying, right?" she says softly.

Janel doesn't look at her, but shakes her head. "No. But we need to move fast." She can't afford to lessen the pressure on the Major's wound, so she uses her free hand to push the med kit's lightweight stretcher at Collins. "Here. Get this ready." He nods, and lets his weapon drop to take the stretcher.

She doesn't see their attackers approach - she only sees the way the Marines react. Too late.

Weaponless, Collins growls as he holds the half-constructed stretcher like a club, but he's already surrounded, and he drops it reluctantly.

"What -" says the Major, struggling to see, and she hushes him, and looks for the captain, cursing under her breath.

~

Mark watches the captain let her weapon drop, too slowly. She tries to stand in front of Major Lorne, but one of their attackers pushes her aside, thrusting his weapon into Janel's face. "Hands. Up"

Janel doesn't even look up at him, still tending Lorne's injury, trying to stem the flow of blood (it shouldn't look so red, thinks Mark. Not when he's so pale).

"I am medicat," says Janel.

The mercenary taps the side of Janel's head with the barrel of his gun. _Now_ Janel looks at him, her expression dark. She doesn't put her hands up.

"He's dead. Get up."

"He's not dead. He's dying. Until he's dead, I do my work."

The mercenary shifts, points his weapon at Lorne, and Mark sees, with sick realisation, that Lorne's injury isn't enough to stop him following what's going on, because the Major's eyes widen in fear.

He daren't move. Too many guns on them, too little space holding too many soldiers on both sides.

"You kill him, you're all dead," says Janel.

The mercenary smirks, and turns the weapon back on Janel, who doesn't even blink. "That a threat? _Medicat_?"

"That a fact, _conducat_. You think you'll ransome us? The Black Colonel doesn't pay for bodies. He pays blood for blood. You kill this man, you're all dead."

The man threatening Janel takes a step back when she says 'Black Colonel', but their leader scoffs.

"Black Colonel's a child's story, medicat."

"He's no story. I've looked in the man's eyes, and believe me, I would not want to be his enemy."

"You're lying, medicat."

"I'm not lying. You see this?" Janel tips her head to expose her neck, and taps two fingers to her tattoo, leaving a bloody mark. There's a murmur from the mercenaries. "I come from a dead planet. I know death. And I know that if you cross the Black Colonel, you will die."

~

She has no way to know how credulous they are. The 'Black Colonel' doesn't scare their leader - chances are they're in the pay of the Genii, and know more about the city than she did. But her tattoo -

It gives him pause, at least. He steps up to her, and she can feel Rodriguez and Collins tense as he gets closer to the Major.

"Five Towns, medicat?" He grins at her when she doesn't respond. "Care to make a wager?"

"What odds do you offer?"

"Oh, I don't know, medicat. What would you say the odds are the Black Colonel will find us, if'n we kill you all?"

She tries not flinch as he presses his weapon against her cheek.

"Hey, asshole," says Rodriguez, and the mercenary's trained his weapon on the captain before he even turns to look at her. "I'd say the odds are pretty good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'conducat' = mercenary. Like medicat, more fun with bad latin. From the same root as the Italian 'condottiere', I suppose.


	2. Soldier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to my LJ account on [January 31st, 2010](http://scherryzade.livejournal.com/11925.html)

When the mercenary points his weapon in the captain's face, Tom switches off the cloak. He doesn't prime the drones until the jumper is visible, and is rewarded as the looks of disbelief on their enemies' faces turn to horror.

It's over in a flash, the captain bringing up her P90 sharply to knock out the leader, the rest fleeing, but he keeps the jumper hovering until the area is secured and Captain Rodriguez signals the all clear, hand raised.

Tom lands the jumper as carefully as he can, surprised that it doesn't shake as much as his hands.

They have Major Lorne on the stretcher before Tom even gets the hatch down, the rest of the teams streaming into the jumper, clearing a space, working so fast that Tom has to jump back into the cockpit to get out of their way.

Captain Rodriguez slaps Tom on the shoulder as she heads to the pilot's seat, grinning at him too brightly. "Perfect timing, kid."

They bring in the mercenary, too. There's not enough room in the jumper, with the stretcher, and Janel working at the Major's side, so the prisoner is set on his knees, still unconscious, with Mark's hand on his collar pulling him upright. Mark throws Tom a tight, unreadable smile.

~

They left before Nate realised there was anything wrong. By the time he reaches the jumper bay, there's already a full medical team waiting for their return.

He hates this. The last three months, half their missions have been rescues or 'supporting strategic withdrawals', and for three quarters of those he's been left behind. Against the Wraith, he can be useful, but in this piecemeal, endlessly circular war against their human enemies, he's just another body to be shot at.

He has to wait.

He spends the time getting angrier and angrier at Anna, just as he always does, because he knows she takes on these missions more often than she needs to. He's pretty sure Sheppard takes advantage of her willingness to head into danger. Or maybe Sheppard doesn't realise how insane it is.

His anger always dissipates when he sees them back safe. If only they get back safe.

~

"Black Colonel, huh?" says Lorne, through wet, hitching breaths. "Sheppard's gonna love that."

"I don't intend to tell him."

"They say anything about me?"

Tom could swear that Janel colours a little at that. "The Little Major," she says, and Lorne laughs, until his breath catches and he coughs, the harsh sound filling the whole jumper.

"Figures."

"Don't talk, Major."

"Pegasus. Buncha - assholes." He heaves a breath. "No - offense."

"I'll blame the morphine."

Lorne grins.

The jumper's silent, until Lorne says, his voice weaker, "Doc?" For a moment, Tom's as confused as Janel looks, until he remembers Dr Parrish just as Lorne says, a hint of panic in his voice, "David?"

Dr Parrish leans forward in his seat. "I'm here, Major."

"You - okay?"

"I'm fine, Major." He doesn't sound very convincing.

Lorne twists around as if trying to see Parrish, and Janel stops him. She beckons Dr Parrish, who hesitates.

Into the sudden silence Mark says, his voice loud and accent thicker than usual, "So, Captain, what's going on out there?"

The captain turns to catch Mark's eye, frowning at the distraction. But then her gaze clears, and she says, "Yes, right. I need a couple of eyes on the hills over there, 'case they have artillery. Walker, Flynn, tell me if you see anything. Rest of you, weapons check. We're not home yet."

~

She works to give the two men a little privacy, just as the soldiers do, turning their backs. The Major is stable, and she can hardly deny him the little comfort of Dr Parrish's hand curling round his.

So instead she looks around her at the Marines, and the studious concentration they show to their weapons. Two of them - they must be the Major's team, she realises, because they weren't in the jumper earlier - talk, over-loud and inconsequential. Only Wright watches the Major and Dr Parrish, and he looks away with a blush when he realises she sees this.

Collins is also looking around the jumper, but his expression has hardened into something angry. At first she wonders if it's distaste - or even jealousy - but then she realises that he's watching the other soldiers.

When he catches her eye, his frown twists into a bitter smile. He leans forward, nodding for her to do the same. "You didn't see any of this." His voice is low, but each word is weighted. With what, she doesn't understand.

"Just - don't tell anyone," says Collins, his voice still low, but suddenly weary. "I'll explain, okay? Just don't say anything."

~

His stomach lurches as the medical team surge in to deal with the wounded, but then he sees Tom, head and shoulders above them. Tom looks worried, but he sees Nate and nods. Nate sags with relief.

Then, as the medical team pulls past, he sees Janel, and his anger flares again. She wasn't waiting in the jumper bay before they arrived, which means -

Anna's the last to exit the jumper, and he pushes past the Marines to reach her, pulling her aside. "What the hell were you thinking?" he hisses.

"We're all fine, thank you, Nate." She watches the departing medical team. "Will be."

"You took _Janel_ \- Did you even ask? What the -"

"I was thinking, I really hope we reach them in time, with a medic, so they don't _die_ , Nate."

"And if it hadn't been -"

She cuts him off abruptly. "Don't you dare -"

"You really couldn't wait for a medic who isn't suffering from PTSD?"

"She was fine, Nate. Hell, she - You know what? I have a prisoner to process and a debriefing to go to. We'll talk about this later."

~

Janel doesn't let herself think until Dr Keller takes the Major into surgery. Doesn't let herself notice the sharp surprise and soft sympathy of the other medics. Doesn't hear Hillary's babbled apologies for not being there, not being fast enough.

She hears Sadia's biting "Oh, I will kick Rodriguez' ass for this. Or, well, tell Teyla to -"

"Don't," she snaps back. "It's not your problem."

" _That_ is not the point, Ettesdotter. Military don't push medical around."

"Is that a rule, Rizk?" Sadia is about to reply, and Janel cuts her off, hand raised, still bloody. "Like the rule that stops Dr Parrish from being here?"

Sadia's face falls. "Janel -"

"Anything else that my 're-training' has missed?"

"I'm sorry, it shouldn't have -" Sadia holds up her hands helplessly. "We - we're so used to working round it."

"So they don't push, ah?"

~

The debriefings are slow and drawn out, and it doesn't help, as Tom waits for Major Hughes to reach him, that Mark is tense and silent beside him.

Diaz and Thomson are the first to leave, subdued, but Diaz nods at Mark, and his tension eases slightly.

"Listen, Tommy -" Mark breaks off as his radio buzzes. "Not a good moment, Riz-" Then he's on his feet, and Tom stands, instinctively. " _Shite_. No, it's okay, I'll find her."

"What -"

"You're not going to say anything stupid, are you?"

"What? No - why would I -"

"Good." Mark slaps his shoulder. "Stall 'em, wouldya?"

"Mark -"

"Good lad." Mark turns to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm just gonnae find the medic."

 


	3. Traitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to my LJ account on [February 7th, 2010](http://scherryzade.livejournal.com/12156.html)

Not for the first time, Ils regrets the day he ever signed up with Yanek's conducat.

The Lantean soldiers drag him though the city, and he lets them. He feigns unconsciousness until the urge to see the city of the Ancestors is too great.

Yanek he trusted - Yanek's money, he trusted - and thought Yanek trusted him, putting him in charge of a squad, only they were unschooled cretins who panicked at the sight of a de-cloaking ship.

He's never had much time for faith, but seeing the signs and structures of the Ancestor's temples writ so large in their city, Ils offers up a silent prayer.

If he ever gets out of here, he swears, Gos Yanek won't see another sunset.

~

"Dial it."

"Ma'am, I can't just -"

"Dial the damn planet."

Janel sees the technician's gaze slip to something behind her, his expression easing, and she turns to see Teyla Emmagan approach.

"I want out. I want off this city," says Janel, and Teyla nods once, sharply. She glances at the address that Janel has written, and raises an eyebrow, but doesn't demur, and when she turns to the technician, her expression is carefully schooled.

"If you would dial the gate, Chuck, I would appreciate it greatly."

"Teyla?" Teyla turns to smile serenely at Mr Woolsey.

"I apologise, Richard, I should have confirmed my intention to go offworld today. Janel and I intend to visit with one of our allies."

~

They take Ils to a cell deep in the city. Or so he judges, as the corridors get starker, windowless. The cell itself has forcefields on all sides. Ancestor-built. If he were outside, he could get in, but even without the guards, he doesn't have a cull's chance of escaping.

All this time, and the Lantean soldiers haven't said a word to him.

He works his wrists, easing the bruises from where they tied him, and leans back on the cot, affecting a nonchalance he doesn't feel.

~

"Hey, sarge," Mark says, flicking his radio to the gate room's back channel. "Can you keep an eye out for the medicat?"

" _That's an affirmative_ ," replies Chuck.

"Wh- Oh, for f-" Mark cuts himself off, and bombs down the corridor.

When he steps out the transporter, the first thing he sees isn't Janel, but Teyla, standing with her hands loose at her sides, looking calm and serene and about as pissed off as Mark's ever seen her. He almost turns tail and runs.

"You should have an escort, at least," says Woolsey, and Mark steps forward, careful to stay in both Teyla and Janel's eyelines. He salutes for good measure. "Sorry I'm late, ma'am. The, uh, transporters were busy."

Teyla doesn't miss a beat. "Mark has already volunteered to accompany us. There is no need for us to wait further."

Woolsey looks unconvinced, but clearly knows he's been outmanoeuvred. "Very well, Teyla. Check in with us in-"

"Four hours. Of course, Richard."

Chuck raises a eyebrow at Mark as he passes, and Mark asks him, quiet enough that no-one else can hear, "Where are we going?"

"M5A-683," says Chuck. "Ordan."

~

He hears the guards shift to attention when the door opens, and he opens his eyes just a slit to see the new arrival. Two officers, a man with close-cropped hair and sour expression, and the woman from the old Ushant homeworld.

Ils doesn't bother looking for an exit when they slide the cell open. He lies still, as relaxed as he can fake, and pretends to startle awake when the officer kicks the bed.

"Get up."

~

She tallies what she's carrying as she walks towards the market. Enough to get by, enough to trade. She needs to keep a weapon, and the scissors have other uses, so she can spare the knife, if it comes to it. And she has skills. She needs to remember that.

Teyla catches her arm. "Janel. Please wait a moment."

Janel shakes her off.

"It was ill done. I am sorry for that. But -"

"Don't you get tired of apologising for them?"

"I am not apologising."

"You're sorry, but you're not apologising. Tch. _Athosians_. No wonder they took you as allies."

"I said it was ill done, and for that I am sorry. I am not sorry that Major Lorne is alive."

"What, would I have let him die because Captain Rodriguez is a -" She breaks off when she sees the way Collins bristles at the mention of his leader's name.

"You know very well that is not what I mean." There's a hint of steel in Teyla's voice, and Janel cannot meet her gaze.

She walks on towards the market, and doesn't listen to the footsteps, one pair light, the other solid, that follow on behind.

~

The walls of the interrogation room are red, patterned as the Ancestors left them, but the chairs and table are utilitarian metal, and look out of place. Lantean make.

"What's your name?" The officer is all trade, no rage. He isn't going to try to be Ils' friend, but he doesn't have the black-eyed anger that the woman can't hide, however tall and straight she stands.

Ils is careful not to look at her. "Ilsander Ress. Call me Ils." He smiles at the officer, who barely reacts.

"You're a mercenary. A -" The officer flicks a look at the paper in his hand, the one Ils has been straining to read. It's not a script he recognises, even if it weren't upside-down. "Conducat."

Ils spreads his arms wide, and grins at the way the guards hold their guns a little tighter. "At your service. If'n you pay my price."

"Where are you from, Ils?"

"Nowhere in particular." He says it to annoy, and the woman twitches, but the other officer doesn't react.

"You're not Genii, not with a name like that."

Ils suppresses a laugh. "Genii! Not me."

"You just work for them."

"For the Genii? Those misers?"

"Then who?"

He shrugs. "Myself."

And he barely blinks, but the woman is on him, no weapon but her anger to push him back. "Your plan?" she spits at him, and he struggles away from her.

"For the money! The money for myself!" Ils cries out, more to the other officer than to her. " _Ancestors_ , don't you know what conducat are?"

"Enough, Captain," says the officer.

"Sir," says the woman, and steps back, too slowly to be anything but reluctant to follow that order.

Ils glares at the captain when she's far enough away. "Wraith-blooded -" The other officer snaps his fingers in front of Ils' face, and he flinches, turning back to the man. The officer nods once, his expression still cold. Ils can't tell if he's angry with the captain, or if it was planned. 

He's starting to believe the stories. _You can't trust the Lanteans. You never know what they're thinking. You never know what they'll do._ The officer is too pale to be the Black Colonel, but that doesn't reassure him. Soldiers like this, they are always shadows of their leader.

"Who do you work for?" asks the officer.

If he gives them Yanek, will _he_ ever see another sunset?

~

He watches Janel walk, stiff-backed, ten paces ahead. It's easy enough to fall in beside Teyla. Not so easy to work out what the hell he's doing here.

"May I ask," says Teyla, gently, "why you chose to join us?" _And they swear she isn't telepathic,_ he thinks.

"Orders, ma'am," he says, still watching the medic. "I'm to keep an eye on her."

Teyla sighs. "If I can, I will take her to my people."

He nods. Makes sense. The Athosian settlement has taken in more than a few refugees from other planets.

"It could be considered a security risk, Janel leaving so soon after the - incident on Ushant." Teyla's choosing her words carefully. "But I do not intend to force her back to Atlantis."

"Understood, ma'am." He flicks a glance at Teyla, who looks sceptical. "Captain told me to stay with her." She frowns at him, not understanding. "On M9D-294. Hostile situation like that, you have to make sure the civilians are secure. Mission doesn't end until everybody's safe."

Teyla watches him carefully, and he looks away, uncomfortable with the scrutiny. He watches Janel, and doesn't reply when Teyla says, quietly, "Thank you."

~

The door to the interrogation room opens, and the soldiers slam to attention once more. The two officers do so, too, the man standing up so fast that his chair spins away a little.

The officer who enters is tall and dark-haired. He wears the same dark uniform as the other soldiers, and while his expression is benign and he holds himself with less formality than the others, Ils _knows_.

"At ease, gentlemen," says the new officer. "Captain, Major," he adds, nodding to the officers in turn.

"Colonel," they reply in chorus, and Ils grips the side of his own chair to stop the shake in his hand.

"You're dismissed, Captain -" The Colonel waves away her stammered "Sir, I-", saying "I understand Major Lorne is still in surgery. You could ask the medical team to send me an update."

The woman is suddenly pale, and Ils has a moment to wonder that she didn't do him more damage, if the dead man means so much to her. She's gone, as fast as she moved to strike him, and now Ils is facing the Black Colonel.

The Colonel takes hold of the chair, twisting it round and sitting to lean on the back. He looks at Ils, who can't look away. After a moment, the Colonel frowns, and gestures at the side of Ils' face, swelling from where the captain struck him. "Radio did that?"

The major freezes, then says "Yessir, when AR-27 apprehended him."

"That true?"

"Sir-" starts the major, but the Colonel cuts him off, pointing at Ils.

"She knocked me out on 'shant," says Ils, not able to keep the bitterness from his voice.

The Colonel smiles. It's not a nice smile. "Radio's concerned about Major Lorne."

"We all are, sir," says his subordinate.

The Colonel nods. "Lorne's the one you called a dead man, Ils."

"I never -"

"Lorne's the man you shot, Ils."

"I -"

"Radio's worked with Lorne for, what, going on two and a half years now?"

"That sounds about right, sir."

"He's been my second-in-command for five. Strange how you come to rely on someone."

The Colonel's smile vanishes, and Ils can't help but lean away from the man.

"Who are you working for?"

~

The market is busy. Plenty to trade for, even with what little she has. A blade, a few pills, ones they hand out like candy on Atlantis for little aches and pains, and her skills. She does have skills. She is medicat.

Teyla dogs her elbow.

"She had no right."

"I know," says Teyla, soothing.

"They have no right." Teyla doesn't argue, but she doesn't understand. "They can't just - What gives them the right?" She stumbles, and Collins catches her elbow, and she pulls away from him. "You can't just -" She stops, tries to catch her breath.

Last time she was here, the market had been as busy as today, but she had trailed the edges. Last time she was on Ordan -

"The last time I was here, I was selling herbs to cure cancers, chalk for fever. Offering up prayer scrips for broken bones. That's what the Wraith did to me, after your friend woke them." Teyla flinches at that, and Janel feels perversely pleased. "Everything I was. My home. Everyone I loved. Gone. They can't just _fix_ that. They can't just 're-train' that memory out of me."

"We wish to help you, Janel," says Teyla.

"Oh, yes, you do mean well."

She pulls away from Teyla once more, and heads to the centre of the market. She is medicat. She can go anywhere she wants, and find work. She is skilled.

She walks to the skills market.

~

"Yanek. Gos Yanek. He's conducat, like me. Highest bidder in any fight, that's who Yanek works for."

"Who was the highest bidder?"

"I don't know! Swear by the Ancestors, he never told me. I didn't ask, not for that money." Ils takes a breath.

"Genii, most likely," says the major, and the Colonel nods.

"Not Genii," says Ils. "They fight their own wars. We worked with some, but it didn't stick. You find anyone says they're paid by the Genii, they are Genii."

"Who, then?"

"I don't _know_! Ask Yanek!"

"I will. Where do we find him?"

"At the skills."

"The what now?"

"The skills market. Yanek doesn't fight any more, he hires the men who do, and he stays at the skills market in case a better deal comes along. Everybody knows to find conducat at the skills market. No different from a smith or a cordwainer-" Ils can't stop himself babbling, and the Colonel cuts him off with an impatient hand.

"Where?"

"On Ordan."


	4. Coward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to my LJ account on [February 24th, 2010](http://scherryzade.livejournal.com/12453.html)

The infirmary is quiet. Anna slips in past Diaz and Thomson, nodding to them as she passes.

She ignores the glares of the infirmary staff, saying, to no-one in particular, "Colonel Sheppard's requested an update on Major Lorne's condition."

No-one replies.

"Sooner would be better," says Anna.

"He's stable, Captain," says Rizk. "They were using fragmenting rounds, and it took a while to get all the shrapnel. They're taking him to recovery now."

Anna discovers she can breathe again.

"I'll tell the Colonel," says Thomson, and Anna turns to find him and Diaz standing close behind her.

"Thank you, Sergeant." He nods sharply, but doesn't leave. "Sergeant?"

"The doc's in his lab, Captain," says Diaz. "Off-radio," he adds. Neither of them are looking at her, and she follows their line of sight to where Rizk and some of the other staff are standing, arms folded and expressions dark.

She doesn't have time to deal with the medical corps' wounded pride. Her priority is finding David.

She's not running away.

~

When Tom reaches the infirmary, he finds Diaz and tiny Nurse Rizk at each others throats, their voices low but their anger all too obvious.

"She went too far."

"You expect me to care? My team leader would be _dead_ if 'riguez hadn't gotten there when she did. Medicat didn't freak out, did her job. No harm, no foul."

"We have a duty of care -"

" _Exactly_ -"

Tom coughs, and they both spin to face him. Rizk stalks across to him, stabbing her finger in his chest.

"You and your precious _Captain_ -"

Diaz pulls her away. "Ignore her, Wheel, she doesn't know what she's talking about. You need something?"

"I - I'm looking for Captain Rodriguez."

"She's - with Dr Parrish," says Diaz, a flicker of discomfort on his face. "Can it wait?"

"Mark's gone," blurts Tom. "Janel - she left. She went offworld. Mark went with -"

" _Fuck_ ," says Diaz, and Rizk slaps him.

"No harm, no foul?" she asks.

"Teyla's with them," says Tom, then, unable to stop himself, "but we're in enough trouble as it is -"

"I'll get you to Rodriguez," says Diaz, and pushes Rizk away.

"Get her back," she says, anger breaking. "Bring Janel back."

"She - she's not going to - she won't come back," stammers Tom, and Rizk rounds on him.

"Where else is she going to go?"

~

Anna's still staring dumbly at Tom when her radio buzzes.

" _Radio._ " Sheppard, and doesn't he sound pissed. " _Get your team ready. We're going to Ordan. Wheels up in twenty._ "

"Copy that. Sir -" She hesitates, mind racing. Damage control. "I'm sorry, sir, I told Collins to stay with the medicat. I didn't think she'd leave -" Anna stops, cursing herself. Damage control?

" _Say again, Radio?_ "

"I just - It's my fault Janel left for Ordan. I don't want to see Collins in trouble for-"

" _She what?_ " Sheppard sounds horrified.

"Sir?" If Sheppard doesn't know that Janel went offworld, why are they going to Ordan? "Sir, Janel left. Teyla agreed to accompany her, and Collins -"

" _Jesus. Teyla-_ " She hears him call out to Dex, then the line cuts out. She doesn't wait, heads for the transporter, Tom and Diaz following, silent.

Her radio kicks in again. " _Captain, Ress talked. He told us -_ " Sheppard hesitates. " _The man who hired him is based on Ordan._ "

She runs.

~

"Like hell am I," says Rodney, gesticulating wildly even though he's talking on the radio. "Oh, _please_. How long have you known me? I'm not the one who had a psychotic break - alright, PTSD, whatever." Rodney's traversed the length of the lab twice since his radio buzzed, seemingly oblivious to his colleagues as they skip out of his path.

"When have I ever refused to go offworld?" snaps Rodney. "That doesn't count. - No! That was completely different. There aren't _Wraith_ on Ordan - Wait, there aren't Wraith on Ordan, are there?"

Rodney's shoulders slump, and he says, "It's Teyla, John." His fingers curl around nothing at his hip, grasping an invisible weapon. "Give me five, I'll be ready." He catches Nate's eye. "We'll be ready."

"We?" hazards Nate as Rodney snatches up and discards a series of tools and devices.

"I'm damned if I'm going to have you bitching about being left behind again, not if I'm getting dragged back to that godforsaken planet. They shot _me_! No-one remembers that, but oh, Lorne gets himself shot and _suddenly_ we have a plan, and Sheppard's all 'I'm not going to stand for it!' because he doesn't like anyone encroaching on his most-frequent inmate status in the infirmary. Not to mention that it's your Captain Marconi's fault that Teyla's on Ordan in the first place, because if she'd taken you, and not the crazy medic -" Rodney pauses for a moment, and flings down an LSD in disgust. "Are all of these broken? Does nobody listen to me when I tell them these things don't grow on trees?"

"Rodney, what -"

Rodney scowls at him, then turns back to the unhappy heap of LSDs. "I'd say that you and I are going to have serious words about how to keep your pilot under control, but, much as it pains me to admit it, after six years, I've resigned myself to having no understanding of the subject -"

"McKay!" Nate flushes as Rodney's head snaps up. "Just - start at the beginning -"

Rodney huffs in irritation. "The crazy medic? That Captain Marconi -"

"Rodriguez," says Nate automatically, even though he knows it's a lost cause.

"- Radio, whatever - pushed over the edge when she dragged her onto M9D-294 _against her will -_ "

"And saved Major Lorne's life," snaps Nate, before he remembers that he knows Anna was wrong.

"Which is admirable, yes, if fundamentally futile in anyone's dealings with USAF officers. The crazy medic decided to go to Ordan, where we found her, that time I got shot? Seriously, does no-one remember that?"

"McKay -"

"She wouldn't have been allowed offworld if Teyla hadn't agreed to go with her."

"Ordan's our ally. It's safe -"

"That's what they said before I got shot. The mercenary your Captain captured on M9D-294 says he's being paid by a man on Ordan, so," Rodney folds his arms with a certain grim satisfaction, the same expression he gets when he's just discovered a fundamental flaw your life's work and knows there isn't time to fix the generator before it explodes. "Now we have to go get Teyla before the mercenaries capture her and the medic and your grunt -"

"My what?"

"The Scottish marine? Apparently he went with them - Nate?"

Nate doesn't answer. He's already heading for the transporter.

~

"What the _hell_ , Nate?" Anna speaks as quietly as she can, but her voice still comes out shrill.

Nate doesn't look at her, securing straps with steady hands. She's always been absurdly proud that, however dangerous the situation - however scared he is - Nate's hands never shake. Now, though, it just pisses her off, and she pulls the bag from his grasp.

"You're not going," says Anna.

"They have Ancient tech on Ordan."

"Not in the _market_."

"McKay's going."

"Exactly! We don't need -"

Now he looks at her. "What? Don't need me? Or don't want me? Don't need the bother?"

"We don't need to _risk_ you -"

"Why do you think McKay's going, Anna? To help with the diplomacy? He's going for Teyla."

"Nate -"

"You took risks for David, I'll take risks for Mark."

She remembers finding David in the botany labs, and the way he'd quirked a half-smile at her, and how it had been so like Lorne, and so unlike himself, that her words had stuck in her throat.

If it had been anyone else -

"Captain?"

Anna snaps to attention, not meeting Sheppard's enquiring gaze. "We're ready, sir."

Sheppard nods, and doesn't give any indication that he's overheard them. "No jumpers, Captain. We're walking."

"Walk in the park, sir."

"Have you _been_ in Pegasus before, Captain?" snaps McKay.

Sheppard may be ignoring their little spat, but there's no mistaking the way McKay crosses the room to stand beside Nate. He glowers at Anna, which isn't much different from the way he usually treats her, but then he pointedly checks Nate's gear, and pats Nate's shoulder awkwardly when he's done.

"Alright then," says Sheppard, and Anna could swear he's avoiding McKay's glare, too. "Let's move out."

Anna's the first through the gate.

~

Mark doesn't notice they're being watched until their observers change off. Then he sees the silhouette of weapons hidden under cloaks, the military bearing hidden under false drunkenness.

He taps his radio to alert Teyla, and gets nothing but static.

Mark curses under his breath, and moves closer to Teyla and the medic. He walks as casually as he can, faking interest in the stalls he passes, as much for Janel's benefit as for the men watching them.

Teyla sees him, of course, and her hand goes up to wave him back. He shakes his head, willing her to understand, and she sweeps her hand up, running fingers through her hair.

He signals _Radio down_ and _We're being watched_ , and Teyla doesn't respond, but he can see the way she shifts into a defensive posture. She doesn't pause in guiding Janel forward, but she takes in their surroundings with sharp eyes, and turns Janel towards a clearing in the market. It's away from gate, but it'll give them room to maneouvre.

Mark follows, staying away from the two women, staying as close as he dares.

~

"Getting anywhere, McKay?" asks Sheppard.

"You don't think I'd tell you? Also, there'd be that thing where our _radios_ started _working_."

"McKay."

"No, not getting anywhere. But I'm getting an energy reading I've not seen here before." McKay points off to the right of the market. "Could be the source."

"Okay, that's our target. Radio, take your team and start a sweep of the market from the other side."

"Yessir."

"Take it slow, keep a low profile. We don't want any shooting if we can avoid it."

McKay makes a disparaging sound, but Anna says, "Affirmative, sir." She sees what Sheppard sees, the busy Ordan market, all the civilians that may or may not be their allies.

"Our priority is getting our people out of here safe. We can worry about finding Yanek later."

Anna wonders what he's really thinking.

She catches Sheppard's eye, and he twists out a smile. "Captain."

"Sir."

She turns to the far end of the market, and starts walking.

~

She sees Captain Rodriguez, and everything turns to crystal - not the gold green blue amber of Atlantis, but the clear cold glass of home. She wants to lash out, break it all, and she feels her hand turned away before she realises what she's done.

Captain Rodriguez turns away every blow, her expression never wavering, and Janel howls her frustration. She fights loose when Collins reaches out to pull her back, and spits at Rodriguez when the captain holds up a hand that makes Collins step back, precise and military.

Janel is no warrior, no fighter, all she has is her anger and the little pair of scissors she stole from the infirmary. Rodriguez doesn't expect that, and she yelps when the blades catch in her arm. Rodriguez pulls back, face slackening in shock, and then, when she looks back up at Janel, finally twisting into anger.

Rodriguez frees her weapon.

Janel feels herself grinning. "Down," snaps Rodriguez, but she hasn't yet pointed the gun at Janel, and Janel closes the distance between them. "Get down!" says Rodriguez once more, and kicks out at Janel's legs. Janel tumbles, and tries to pull Rodriguez with her, but she misses, and falls all the heavier into the Ordan mud.

She twists to look up at the captain, but Rodriguez isn't looking at her. Her weapon swings up - _up_ , not towards Janel -

There's the crack-snap of gun-fire.

The bullet hits Rodriguez high on the chest, and she arches backwards. Her weapon fires once, aiming at nothing.

When she falls, she doesn't make a sound.


	5. Leader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted to my LJ account on [March 18th, 2010](http://scherryzade.livejournal.com/12555.html)

There's something she's forgotten. She has to remember, because if she doesn't, there's no way she can fix this. But she can't remember, because she can't concentrate, and she can't concentrate because the pain in her chest isn't the raw panic she's been carrying with her all day, it's real, and she can't breathe -

Oh. Right. Remember how to breathe.

Anna gasps for air, and it hurts, but the pain is blunt, not sharp.

The mercenary who shot her has reached Janel, slinging his arm around the medic's neck. He grins. Anna tightens her grip on her sidearm.

Someone says her name. Yells her name. Someone drops down beside her. "Anna." Softer. Fingers flutter on her tac vest, tugging on the ragged remains of the bulletproof material. "Anna. Anna-M." Nate.

She reaches for his hand, and hears his sharp intake of breath. She hushes him, and he stills, his fingers still tangled in her tac vest.

The mercenary has moved closer, pushing Janel ahead of him. The others won't have a clear shot, but she does.

She lifts her weapon, aims. Her finger's tightening on the trigger before she realises her arm is shaking. She tries to steady it, ignore the pain from Janel's strike. (Scissors. Who the hell starts a fight with scissors?)

Her arm's still shaking when the mercenary sees her. He doesn't bother to reposition himself. "You want to take that shot, Lantean?"

Beside her, Nate shifts. She thinks he's about to take her weapon, and flinches away. But instead, he eases his hand under hers, steadying her aim.

"Let her go," says Anna.

~

It's not until Captain Rodriguez speaks that Janel dares open her eyes. Rodriguez isn't dead.

The conducat shifts behind her, and his knife presses closer on her throat.

"Hurt her, you're a dead man," says Rodriguez.

"Isn't that her line?" asks the conducat. "Or is that what all the Lanteans say?" Suddenly the knife is gone, and he pushes her away. She stumbles, falls, can't hold herself upright any longer. "Don't hurt us," he says, in a mocking, sing-song whine, "Or the big bad Colonel will get you." He laughs. "Got the Rings singing scared, ain't you?"

Janel starts to crawl away.

She freezes when a hand touches her shoulder. "Sorry -" It isn't the conducat, it's Rodriguez' young soldier, Wright, a hand outstretched to help her stand.

It's enough to make her stand on her own, but when she tries to back away from him, he says again, "Sorry," and she follows the line of the small, aborted gesture he makes.

The market at Ordan is always busy, with people from many worlds. It's busy still, even with these weapons drawn, and it takes her a moment to realise that the crowd around them aren't watching, they're waiting.

~

They're surrounded.

Tom counts fourteen that he can see. There'll be more - there always are.

Tom shifts to keep Janel between himself and Mark, and turns to watch their six, but can't help but keep one eye on the others.

Teyla steps forward to catch their leader's attention, giving the captain a chance to stand. She does, and Tom can see Mark relax, but Dr Gibson stays close at her side. Captain Rodriguez' sidearm is back up and aimed at the mercenary before Teyla even starts to speak.

"We are -"

"Lanteans. You're Emmagan. The others I don't know, except by their uniform. And I believe you met some of my men on Ushant. A woman officer and a Five Towns medicat, they said, and you'd have thought a Wraith queen had turned on them, they were so pale."

"What do you want?"

"You. Alive, although I'll settle for dead."

"You will get no ransom -"

"Oh, you're not so naive as to think there is no bounty on your head, Emmagan? Half the Rings think you're a traitor. I could retire on what I'd get for your head alone -"

"I'd like to see you try," says Captain Rodriguez.

The mercenary grins, and makes a sweeping gesture that includes Teyla, Janel and the captain. "Thought the Genii were exaggerating when they said all the Lantean women were Wraith-blooded whores." One of the mercenaries sniggers.

Mark takes a step towards the mercenary, weapon raised. "You shut your fucking mouth."

"Collins."

He stops, and steps back, weapon still raised. "Captain," he says.

~

"You won't make any profit from us, Yanek," says Anna. It's a guess, and a good one, but while he's surprised she knows his name, it doesn't worry him.

"Ress," he says instead, with a shake of his head. "Sorry son of a Wraith never could keep a secret."

"He told us you've been hired to capture 'Lantean' personnel."

"Among other things."

"Who hired you?"

"A liber of rare metal, a season's ruus wine, and market credit." Janel makes a soft sound of recognition, but Anna can't risk taking her eyes off Yanek.

"Who hired you?"

"Who hired _you_?" Yanek asks back. "Was it the Black Colonel? He seems to have a taste for women like you."

He leans towards her, and doesn't even look at her weapon. "Is it really true, what you all say? That Colonel Sheppard will seek any Lantean I take?"

Anna looks him straight in the eyes. "Yes."

"Good."

~

"You want Sheppard? He'll come for any one of us. Take me, let my people leave."

Rodriguez' teammates bristle at that. They say nothing, but if Janel can see it, so can the conducat.

"Wouldn't like to separate you," he says, nodding to where Dr Gibson supports the captain's weapon.

"Let the medicat go, then."

"I can get double for a Lantean doctor." More credit - Seracii, she's sure of it. But _liber_ would be -

"She's not one of our scientists. She's just a medic." Rodriguez puts the weight of scorn behind the word, and Janel angers. Then she sees the tension in the way Rodriguez stands, the hard line of her jaw. The captain is holding her pain and her fear close, and Yanek may see the way Rodriguez' men inch closer, but he doesn't see _that_.

Just as Janel didn't see it on Ushant.

Yanek makes a point of looking at Rodriguez' injured arm a second time. "You might need a mere medicat," says Yanek. "Even if only to undo the harm she did you." Janel feels herself flush, but Rodriguez doesn't waver.

"On my planet, medics are -"

"This is not your planet, Lantean."

"Ordan is not your planet, either, Seracii," says Janel, "And killing Lanteans for _credit_ will not make it so."

~

Yanek doesn't like that.

"Serace, of course," says Teyla. "I could not place his voice. But _liber_ would be -"

"Kelos, right," finishes Janel.

"Seracii working for Kelan?" Teyla sounds surprised, which Mark is fairly sure never happens.

"What are the Rings coming to?" Janel copies Teyla's tone, and Yanek doesn't take to either.

"You'll find out soon enough who I work for."

"Yeah, that's the idea," says Rodriguez.

"You're worth more to me alive," snaps Yanek, "but they won't mind if you're a little broken."

"Well, there's were we differ. You're not worth anything to me alive or dead, but for every one of my people you harm, the longer you'll hurt."

"There are fourteen of us, and six of you. How do you expect to survive if you make us fight?"

"Well, I'll start with you," says Rodriguez. "Collins?"

It's a split second before Mark realises what the captain's asking. "Little guy with the crossbow."

"Wright."

"Genii rifle, 11 o'clock."

"Teyla?"

"I believe I will teach a lesson to the gentleman who laughed when their leader called us wraith-blooded whores."

"Nice. Janel, you still have those scissors?"

"Yes, captain."

"Good." Rodriguez turns to Yanek, and says, "I'd say we're pretty evenly matched, here."

The crossbow that was aimed at Janel is now aimed at Mark. The rifle is still pointed at Rodriguez, but the shooter's attention is on Tommy. The man who laughed at the women is standing behind two others, and they've both realised that Teyla will go through them to get to him.

Everybody else is looking at Rodriguez.

Yanek doesn't back down. He says, "I have twice the men waiting on my command."

And Anna smiles.

~

If she's wrong, if she's mis-timed it -

"What, you didn't think we came here for you alone, did you?" Anna says.

"Why, is the Black Colonel waiting behind the dye-seller's stall?"

If she's wrong -

"Why don't you ask your men?"

Yanek pulls out a radio, somewhere between Genii and Traveller tech, and thumbs it on. Scorn palpable in his voice, he says, "Garrison, report."

If she's mis-timed it -

Yanek's radio is silent, and he shoots her an angry look. "Karden, report."

He slaps the radio against the heel of his hand, and says, "Damn you, Karden. Report."

The radio buzzes with static, and Anna steels herself.

~

" _Is this -_ " Tap. Tap-tap. " _Is this thing on?_ "

Janel recognises the Colonel's voice, despite the static. She sees Rodriguez' smile shift into something more sincere, sees the relief in her eyes. Yanek misses that, too, because he's staring at the radio in disbelief.

"Who is this?" snaps Yanek.

" _This is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, US Air Force, lately of Atlantis._ " The Colonel's voice is measured. " _All your base are belong to us._ "

The crowd shifts.

Once, Janel would have been one of the crowd, would have shivered at the mention of the name. Now, she sees the way Teyla rolls her eyes at the oddly formed phrase, hears the startled, cut-off laugh torn from Wright.

Now she sees how they stand together.

Now, she sees how they stand at four corners of a diamond, so that she is between them, protected. Now Janel sees how they stand firm, weapons held high and steady, even if it takes two of them. She thought it was arrogance - no, she knows it is arrogance, but now she sees the strength of their defiance.

She sees this, and almost misses seeing Yanek fling aside his radio and launch himself at Rodriguez.

~

Nate feels Anna shift her arm.

He doesn't expect her to fire any more than Yanek thinks she'll hit him, but the mercenary's howl as he clutches his thigh covers the undignified noise that Nate makes.

Yanek falls heavily, cursing, and Anna shifts her aim once more. It's all Nate can do to stop himself from pulling away. She doesn't fire.

"What happens if you fail, Yanek?"

"Kill them," hisses Yanek. "Kill them all."

The mercenaries shift uncomfortably. Their weapons are raised, but none seems prepared to take the first shot.

"See, that's the problem with mercenaries, Yanek. There's plenty of folk willing to kill for money, but very few willing to die."

"We outnumber them, you fools," snaps Yanek.

"So do the Genii," says Anna.

"So do the Wraith," says Teyla.

"So did the Asurans, before we wiped them out."

"So did the Goa'uld," says Mark.

"What go-a-uld?" says Yanek.

"Exactly."

"The Goa'uld ruled our galaxy for millenia." says Anna. "It took us, what, ten years to destroy them?"

"Nine," says Mark.

Anna shakes away Nate's arm, and crouches beside Yanek. She speaks to him, but her message carries to the whole crowd.

"You don't want to be our enemy."

~

Yanek's men don't fire, but they don't leave, either.

Anna stands, and looks them over as slowly as she dares. Then, equally slow, and as steadily as she can with her arm still throbbing from Janel's cut, Anna holsters her sidearm.

"We're not here to fight you."

There's a mutter from the crowd, nothing more.

"We're not looking for enemies."

Yanek scoffs.

"If you cross us, if you threaten our lives or the lives of our friends, we will fight back. If one more Marine is killed, if another scientist is captured, if our people suffer the slightest hurt at the hands of the conducat, we will find you.

"Tell that to the men who hired you. Tell them we're coming."

"Does that come from the Black Colonel?" Anna doesn't see who speaks, and the other mercenaries look abashed.

"Tell them -" Anna grins. "Tell them they better hope the Colonel finds them before I do."

She rests her hand on her sidearm, and waits, and the mercenaries slip away to the sound of Yanek cursing their parentage.

~

"Tie him up, Collins," says Rodriguez.

"Yessir." Collins ties Yanek's arms behind him, and the conducat growls, breaking off with a hiss of pain.

Rodriguez has stooped to pick up Yanek's radio, but she pauses, and her gaze flickers between Yanek and Janel.

Janel huffs, and crouches beside Yanek.

"I'm sorry."

Janel looks up to see Rodriguez, twisting the radio through her hands, her expression suddenly raw. Janel shrugs.

"It's my job." She moves to cut Yanek's trousers away from his wound, and can't help but laugh when he flinches at the sight of her scissors. "You're hardly hurt, man. She could have caught you far worse."

She looks up at Rodriguez. "You will always make work for me." She smiles to soften it, but she knows it's truer than she intended.

Rodriguez smiles, just, no longer the sharp bright smile she gave Yanek when she put her weapon to his head. It's small and twists out of her, but it's still this side of broken.

Janel turns back to the conducat's wound, and hears Rodriguez speak into the radio.

"Sir, this is 2-7. We have Yanek."


End file.
